Police said Casey Lever, 29, tested at twice the legal blood alcohol limit when she was pulled over Friday afternoon.

Officials said a co-worker believed Lever was drunk when she returned to work after lunch. According to court paperwork, Lever was taking care of a 2-month-old, a 5-month-old and an 11-month-old.

"At some point, she decided that she wanted to drive home with her 5-year-old daughter, so the day care worker called our department," said prosecutor Melissa Kowalewski.

Merrimack police pulled Lever over almost immediately after she left the day care, and an officer took her to the station.

"She continued to see signs of impairment at the station," Kowalewski said. "She took a breath test and blew 0.16. This is a woman that is a danger to the community and the children that were entrusted to her care."

Public defender Kara Simard said the children at the day care were not in danger.

"There were other co-workers at the day care center there that were present with her," Simard said. "She was not alone with the children."

Lever was charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and three charges related to driving while drunk. In arguing for personal recognizance bail, Simard said Lever has no criminal record and that she would work to control her drinking.

"We would also be requesting that Ms. Lever attend AA meetings as part of a condition of the bail," Simard said.

But the judge decided that cash bail was warranted, and bail was set at $1,500.

Lever is due back in court March 13 for a probable cause hearing. She has also been asked to leave her job at the day care center.

The state's Childcare Licensing Unit said the day care notified it on Friday about the incident. Officials said the state is conducting an investigation based on the allegations received from the day care center.

Officials are looking at when the staff might have been aware of issue and how the day care responded.

ADAM SEXTON IS LIVE IN MERRIMACK WITH NEW INFORMATION WE LEARNED IN THE CASE. WE CAN TELL YOU THAT SHE DID MAKE IT VERY FAR. SHE HAD BEEN WORKING AT THE DAY CARE CENTER RIGHT DOWN HERE. PLACE -- POLICE WORK CALLED BY THE DAY CARE OWNER. SHE SAID WHEN SHE REALIZE WHAT WAS GOING ON, SHE CALLED POLICE AND LET THEM TAKE IT FROM THERE. SHE ONLY GOT TO THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE THREE BEFORE SHE WAS ARRESTED. THE 29-YEAR-OLD APPEARED IN COURT MONDAY AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR DWI ON FRIDAY WHILE DRIVING AWAY FROM A DAY CARE. SHE WORKED IN THE INFANT ROOM AT KIDS CREATIVE CO-LEARNING CENTER IN MERRIMACK WHERE SHE WAS LOOKING AFTER THREE BABIES. POLICE SAY SHE RETURNED FROM A LUNCH BREAK DR UNK. AT SOME POINT SHE DECIDED SHE WANTED TO DRIVE HOME WITH HER FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. EXCELLENT OFFICER WAS ABLE TO ARREST HER BEFORE SHE MADE IT TO ROUTE THREE AND -- AND OFFICER WAS ABLE TO ARREST HER. SHE TOOK A BREATH TEST AND BLEW A .16. THIS IS A WOMAN WHO IS A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY AND A DANGER TO THE CHILDREN WHO WERE ENTRUSTED TO HER CARE. HER ATTORNEY SAID THERE WERE OTHER WORKERS AT THE DAY CARE LOOKING AFTER THE BABIES HIM ASSOCIATE WAS NEVER ACTUALLY ALONE AND DRUNK WITH THE KIDS. THE CHARGES ARE SERIOUS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING SHE WAS EVER ARRESTED FOR BEFORE. HER $1500 CASH BAIL WAS NOT REDUCED BY THE JUDGE TODAY. SHE FACES A CHARGE OF BACK OR BRADY DWI AND FOUR COUNTS OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD. THE STATE CHILDCARE LICENSING UNIT WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND THE STATE SAID THEY ARE LOOKING INTO WHEN THE STAFF BECAME AWARE OF HER CONDITION AND HOW THEY RESPONDED.